Revenge
by Adsagsona
Summary: Sequel to 'The Englishman'. Spike returns to America from university in Oxford. And Angel? He has gotten out of jail in the mean time... Isn't that a coincidence? R from now on! Chapter 26, the end.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Joss Whedon, etc etc.

AN: For all those who have read 'The Englishman', thank you for all the lovely reviews! And now, after long waiting here is a sequel. I'm still a little... uncertain about it, but I hope it'll turn out fine. You can read it as a stand alone as well.

Revenge

----------

Buffy had finished her last class of the University of Sunnydale at a fast rate. She had been longing for this day for about six months now, ever since Spike had left. He had only spent the Christmas holidays with her and it had not been enough for the two lovebirds. Of course, with them, no time would ever be too long. Running out of the class she bumped right into Willow and her new girlfriend, Tara.

"What's the big hurry?" Willow asked before a knowing smile crossed her face and she whispered something to Tara. "Spike is coming back today, isn't he? What time does his plane land?"

"In about an hour." Buffy answered. She had been constantly nagging to both girls for days that her waiting would soon come to an end. It couldn't go fast enough but today was finally there.

"Well, go on then, don't let us keep you." Willow said with a waving off gesture before taking Taras arm. "If Spike isn't too tired, maybe you can come to the Bronze, then I can introduce Tara to him." She said with a grin.

Buffy just nodded and walked away at a rapid pace. She only had one hour to get ready and be at the airport where she had promised to wait for Spike when he arrived. The Englishman had gone back to Britain after highschool was over, being able to stand on his own two feet financially, with a little support from his aunt and uncle. He had not felt much for the American universities and actually felt more at home in the European countries, much to Buffys dismay. When he had finally told her his decision she was far from happy with it and it had almost split them up.

"Go then! If you want it so badly, leave me alone and go back to your stupid, precious England! You always do this!"

"Do what, luv? I have stayed here for an entire year just for you, school has been over for three months. My parents can't keep paying my stay here! What do you want from me then?"

"I want you! Can't you understand that, William?"

That was about the time that Spike knew she was being very serious about it. Whenever his Buffy called him William, something was mighty wrong. She knew he had changed a lot since the murder attempt of Angel and always referred to him as Spike, unless something didn't go her way.

"You have me, Buffy. Always, you know that. Me being in England wouldn't change that."

"Of course it would!" She had shouted as she had burst into tears right in front of him, something she had sworn she would never do again. "I will be here all alone and you will be in Oxford with pretty girls around you..." She trailed off, knowing that wasn't what she had wanted to say.

Spike crossed his arms over his chest. "And you think I can't handle it? Being around other girls I would immediately take on the first opportunity? Do you have that little trust in me? Maybe it would be better if we did stop this here."

He had walked away then, angry at his girlfriend and the world for being so unfair to him. The next day Buffy had stood in front of his door, asking him for forgiveness and saying she had been selfish for wanting him to stay. They had eventually parted on good terms and he had come back with the holidays as he had promised.

Quickly washing her hair and looking through the closet for an appropriate outfit, she glanced at the picture which was on her bedside table. It was one of her and all her friends, Spike still with them, on the last day of highschool. Now she would be able to see him again. Grabbing her purse she waited for the taxi she had rung earlier, she still didn't have her license.

Spike sat on the plane, but wasn't as excited as Buffy. The journey had worn him out, jetlag very evident as he hadn't made this long kind of trip in several months. He was happy that he would get to see his girlfriend again. He had had a great time in Oxford, with a few of his old mates he had met back there at the start of the new school year, but he had missed his girl very much, especially when everyone went out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts, we are about to land in L.A."

Half asleep, his brain registered the request and he buckled up, waiting for the plane to land. He would still need to get to Sunnydale in one way or another 'cause he hadn't told anyone but Buffy that he would arrived at this particular hour. As the plane found solid ground he wondered about getting home. He didn't need to wait for his luggage for very long, grabbing it from the transporter as he went.

He looked at the other couples for a moment, who had found each other back at the chaos of the airport. With a weak smile he grabbed his bag and suitcase and headed out for the buses, where he would catch one to Sunnydale.

"Spike!"

He turned around at the sound of his familiar nickname and was surprised to see Buffy there. "Buffy?" He asked surprised as a bright smile lit up his face. The next thing he knew he was holding the girl in his arms and dropping his suitcase.

"I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, luv."

They both smiled happily and then they kissed. It was long and slow, to get reacquainted with one another. With a short peck on the lips afterwards Buffy took him by the arm.

"How did you get here?" He asked her curiously.

"I took a cab, he's waiting outside, come on."

And so the two lovers met again for the first time in six months, happy in each others company and seemingly with not a care in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you for the reviews, I'm glad you like it. On to the next chapter, where Spike gets a nice surprise and we meet a second... rather strange person.

Revenge 2

--------------

Buffy was chatting about everything and nothing to Spike in the two hour drive from L.A. to the lovely town she called home. After about half an hour he had just fallen asleep, his head on her lap.

"I don't know whether I should be annoyed or flattered." She whispered to him, softly stroking his hair. The bleach had grown out, but the tips of the brown locks were still white and it made his hair look great in her view.

"Spike, we're here." Buffy nudged him awake as she stepped out of the car on Revello Drive. She had already paid the driver before Spike was fully awake and able to step out of the car.

"We're going to your house? I thought I'd go to my aunt and uncle first. They missed me as well and I have to stay there."

Buffy didn't comment on his words but took his hand and took his hand luggage with her, him carrying the suitcase. When the front door was opened, Spike saw his aunt and uncle sitting there together with Buffys mother. His aunt jumped up from her seat to hug him and then his uncle shook his hand in a manly gesture.

"I'm glad to see you finally home, son."

"What is going on here... Not that I don't like it..." He said, looking around at everyone in the room, Buffy standing there with a big grin on her face.

"Because you said in your letters always how much you missed us and Buffy, we decided it was time to go meet her mother. She has agreed to let you stay here for the summer, if the two of you can act as adults. If not, you're flying straight back to your old room, mister." His aunt ended in a stern note, waving her finger in front of his face. Spike kissed her on the cheek before hugging Buffy, who of course already knew of this plan.

"Thank you, Mrs. Summers."

"I rather have you here so I can keep on eye on the both of you. There will be a few rules and..."

"Mum!" Buffy interrupted her. "We'll follow the rules, but let us be happy about this! Can we... erm... go upstairs? Spike has a jetlag."

"I'm sorry to say it's true." Spike sighed tiredly. "I'm always having trouble with it, but I just couldn't sleep on the entire way over here. Only in the cab I managed to catch some shuteye."

"Of course, we'll hear from you tomorrow."

Spike nodded gratefully and let Buffy drag him up the stairs towards her own bedroom. Laying down on the bed he didn't even manage to kick his shoes off, but dozed, already between dream and waking. Buffy crawled into bed with him, giving him a soft kiss before laying down next to him. In his sleep he threw a protective arm around her and pulled her a little closer.

"Glad you still know it." Buffy whispered.

The next morning Spike awoke with a woman in his arms. Ready to jump out of bed and scream bloody murder, he realised he knew this woman.

"Buffy? What am I doing in your bedroom?"

"You collapsed here last night... And you're too heavy to lift." She answered while she stuck out his tongue at him.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience." He smiled, blowing her a kiss. Seeing that he was fully dressed he just stood and looked around. "So this is where I'll be staying... Good."

They went downstairs, but found that Joyce was gone already. "I promised Willow that I would bring you to meet her new girlfriend." Buffy said as she watched her lovers eyes grow to the size of saucers.

"Willow? Our Willow? Girlfriend?" He managed to utter before a large grin spread on his face.

"Always knew there was something about her."

"Your personal belongings."

A bag was thrown onto the counter, with the belongings from five years ago were kept. A little bit of change, pictures, nothing to major. Angel grabbed them and put them in his pocket without looking at it. He got some money and that was it. Nobody to pick him up, nobody to tell him what to do once he got out and a personal record on the police slate.

He had grown his hair long in the five years he had spent in jail, fitting it into a low ponytail. His face had not changed much over the years, his eyes almost black against the morning sky which greeted him. As he stood there outside, he wondered where he should go. In normal clothes, being a jeans and a decent shirt, he could go anywhere he pleased.

A cab stopped in front of him. "Going anywhere, son?" The man inside asked and he jumped in on an impulse.

"Sunnydale."

As the cab drove of a small smile crossed his face. He had not thought about the town in a good two years but now all the memories seemed to be coming back. Nobody would be waiting for him there either, but he needed to pay a few people a visit.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks again for the reviews!

Macotee No, I had not realised it, thanks for noticing. I'll do my best to correct it.

Revenge 3

--------------

Spike had woken up the next morning with a terrible head ache.

"Hello Sleepyhead!" A voice suddenly boomed through his jumbled thoughts and he raised his hands quietly as Buffy sat beside him on the bed.

"What's wrong, Spike?" She asked worriedly as she grasped for his hands, trying to get him to open his eyes.

"A headache, love, one of the worst this world has ever known." He proclaimed, forming the words carefully and quietly. He laid back down, but was not allowed to rest as somebody, he presumed it was Buffy, let him swallow a painkiller and a sip of water.

"You just sleep, alright? I'm going out for a while so you can rest."

She kissed him lightly on the forehead and left the room. Spike fell asleep again almost instantly, sinking deeper into the ink black of sleep.

Buffy had agreed to meet Willow and Tara, but she had to tell them now that Spike wasn't able to come with her. They were already waiting for her at the table of the pizza place where they would meet.

"Hey guys! I'm sorry I'm so late, but..."

"No need to be sorry, your boyfriend just got home." Willow answered with a smile as she looked around for a moment. "Speaking of your boyfriend, where is Spike?" She asked.

"He has a lot of trouble with his jetlag, he isn't used to it." Buffy replied with a sigh. She really would rather have him with her at all times, but she knew it wasn't possible.

"Poor baby." Willow answered with a pout before Tara softly laid a hand on her arm. "Will, be nice.. it's not his fault." She said quietly.

"She doesn't mean it in a bad way, Tara." Buffy defended her friend with a smile. The quiet Tara had proven to be exactly what Willow had needed after her breakup with Oz. Spike had wanted to go to his former psychologist to punch him in the face, but the girls had prevented that just in time. Grumbling he had relented, but nobody knew the reason of Oz leaving town up until now.

"Spike is..." Buffy started as she looked up suddenly. On the other side of the street stood a man who looked very familiar. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something in his eyes sparked some recognition in her. "No! It isn't possible." She whispered before standing up so abruptly her chair fell down. The man on the street looked at her for a moment before walking further as if nothing had happened.

"Buffy?" She heard someone ask next to her but she paid no attention. She had to get home, where he couldn't get to her.

Not looking back, she started running towards Rodella Drive, without stopping. It took her a few minutes, but she ran the distance in a record time. As she slammed the front door shut, she slid down it on the other side, crying softly. That was how Spike found her half an hour later.

He had rested and had heard the door, but was surprised Buffy didn't come upstairs. After a few minutes he had just thought it was her mother, but he went to see anyway. Seeing the small crumpled figure at the door, he immediately panicked. When something went wrong, Buffy usually shouted and screamed, kicking at everything, she was never quiet like this.

"Buffy, love? Tell me what's wrong."

"Oh Spike."

It was the only thing she said before she buried her head against his chest as she hugged him fiercely. He answered the hug by putting his arms around her and whispering in her ear. "I'm here, love, not letting you go. Please tell me what is bothering you."

"It's him..." She sniffed after a while. "He's back."

"Who?"

"Angel."

He hadn't heard the name in five years, but it haunted him still. How that man could render a feisty woman like Buffy into a crumbling heap, it was spectacular. "You are wrong, pet, Angel is in jail." He answered her as he stroked her hair, but she pushed against his chest to release her.

"No, he is not! He is here, Spike, I have seen him. He has long hair and dresses differently, but those eyes... I'll never forget them."

"Come on, we'll get you upstairs so you can rest for a while."

"You don't believe me." She said to him accusingly, but he nodded seriously. "I believe you, love, I just want you safe, you know that. Now, let me take care of you and go to bed."

He helped her up the stairs and tucked her in, giving her a quick kiss before running down the stairs and grabbing the phone.

"L.a. County jail."

"Wiliam Carrington here, I have a question about one of your prisoners."

"I am sorry, sir, I can't grant any information about our inhabitants."

"Is Angel Parrings still in custody?"

"I can not give you that information."

"Look mate, he is dangerous! You could at least warn his victim when he is free!"

"I am sorry, sir..."

"Thanks for nothing."

Spike threw the phone in the cradle and breathed deeply, trying to calm himself but not succeeding. If Buffy was right, their world would be turned upside down. "That bastard will not interfere with us again." Spike vowed, looking at the stairs for a moment.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: While Spike triest to comfort Buffy, in which he is not succeeding, Angel is getting closer to his goal.

Revenge 4

--------------

Spike looked thoughtfully at the phone for a few moments, almost willing it to ring and give him the answer he wanted. The sound of someone knocking on the door awoke him from his daydreams and he opened it, to find Willow and Tara there.

"Spike!" The redhead squealed, throwing her arms around him and holding on for dear life.

"Nice to see you too, Red." He answered with a small smile, looking at Tara for a moment. "Who's this then?" He asked rather curiously. Willow straightened and actually blushed.

"Well... you see... she's... my girlfriend."

"Are you into birds now, Red? Didn't see that one coming." Spike said quietly as he looked at the obviously happy couple.

"Well girlfriend, come on in, welcome to the family."

He hugged the stunned Tara quickly and guided them in the house, where his mood grew somber again.

"We wanted to know how Buffy was doing. She met us to eat some pizza and she was talking about you when suddenly... she just ran off. She looked like she had seen a ghost."

"I think she has." Spike replied, sighing.

"How do you mean?"

"She thinks she has seen Angel."

It was enough explanation for Willow, although Tara didn't understand what was going on. The redhead laid a hand on Spikes arm and as he nodded, she went up the stairs to Buffys room.

"What... what is wrong with Buffy?" Tara asked quietly. She had never met Spike before and he looked a bit intimidating. She had never been a loudmouth and she rarely felt comfortable around people. She had trusted Buffy from the beginning, because she accepted the relationship between her friend and Tara so easily. Spike however was an entirely different matter.

"Red has probably never told you... Angel was a guy who terrorised us all for quite some time. He finally got sent to jail a few years back."

"Oh."

"Yeah, and now Buffy thinks he's out."

"Are you sure about it?"

"No." Spike answered as he glared at the phone. "I called the jail but they won't tell me a fucking thing."

As Tara and Spike talked, Willow sat down beside Buffy. The young woman had cried herself to sleep, but had woken up at the sound of the door being opened. She was jumpy and nervous, looking around at every sound.

"Buffy, that wasn't Angel... he's still behind bars, he has to be."

"But you don't know that! You didn't see him, Will! He hasn't changed a bit, he just has another haircut! He's here, I'm telling you he's here!"

In jail Angel had gone to wearing all black clothing. He found it more appropriate plus one would notice him less in the dark. In those few years he had grown out into a young man, stronger because of the exercise he had gotten, the hours in the gym he had spent. The man of the diner looked up for a moment as he saw Angel, clad in a dark jeans and black sweater, a coat brushing over his broad shoulders.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Yeah, the sign said you wanted someone to help you."

Angel had never figured he would have to stoop so low to get a job. For him a job as a waiter meant the gutter, he was used to so much more. In jail he had learned to be satisfied with far less and at the moment he would be happy if he could earn some money;

"Are you any good? Have you done it before?"

He shook his head denying and the man sighed.

"Alright, you can try out for one week. If I'm not happy with you, you're out."

"When do I start?"

"Tomorrow."

The ex-prisoner thanked his boss and walked out, feeling much better about himself. He actually had found a job and one in Sunnydale at that. Meeting Buffy in the centre of the town had spooked him a little, but her reaction had done him some good. She was still afraid of him and that was all he wanted to know. He knew from the past that she came to this diner all the time and he hoped it hadn't changed. He was planning on surprising her on a few occasions.

As Willow came down from the bedroom, her face stood unhappy.

"She wants you, Spike, she's scared." She sighed. "We better go, this is not a good time."

Spike heard the door slam behind him as he rushed up the stairs towards his girlfriend. He took her in his arms, but she pushed him away.

"Love?"

"You don't even believe me! You of all people, Spike! How could you!"

"Buffy, I..."

"Just go." She said as she turned her back to him. As he walked out of the bedroom he cursed Angel silently. Even without being there, the man could still ruin everything. He sighed and prepared himself for a night on the couch.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Okay, this has taken way too long, but from now on things will go quicker. I have been writing a lot lately and the whole story is almost done!

Revenge 5

---------------

"Stupid British…" Buffy muttered as she crept under the blankets. She felt furious, but she rather liked it as it was different from the helplessness which had settled upon her after her meeting with Angel.

"It was him… I'm sure." She repeated again, but this time she didn't believe very much of it. She had seen him before, in the weeks after his attack on Spike, when he was barely in jail. Maybe it was just her imagination. But it had still hurt her that Spike doubted her. She went downstairs where he slept on the couch, not an inch of worry evident on his face.

"You're not even worried, are you?" She asked. He jumped up, in fighting stance immediately, before he even spotted Buffy. He stepped back and looked at her accusingly for a moment.

"Don't you dare, Buffy. I know you have been through a lot with that bloke, but I think you forget most of the time that I had a run in with him too."

"Of course I haven't forgot! How could you even think that! I was there when you were…" She still couldn't say it, glaring it him that he even brought it up.

"When I was shot! Almost dead because of him! And still you are the one who throws a big fit when you think, you think, you have seen him. Nobody to say that you did, you just think it. It's not always you, Buffy."

He himself was surprised by his harshness, but he wasn't taking a word back. He had finally said the truth and it had felt good. In the months after Angels arrest he was always the one soothing and shushing when Buffy had a nightmare. She didn't even know the American still haunted his dreams from time to time. She had never asked him what he had felt, because the hard Spike he had become made her think he didn't have any problems with it.

Buffy took a few deep breaths to calm down. She didn't want to yell, that's just what Spike wanted. Most of the time he was the one to reason with her when she was angry, but not this time. She would have the last word.

"I wish you had never come back." She whispered as she looked at him. He backed away as he heard them, unable to speak for a moment.

"Easy, pet." He finally said as he grabbed his duster, storming out the door, not looking back.

The springs in the bed had since long worn out and he knew with which kind of activities, hearing the grunts and walls through the thin walls. The door had no lock, a relief after all those years in a way. Angel had rented the room with the last of his money, as he had nowhere to turn.

"Tomorrow is a new day." He whispered to himself. Then he could finally go to work at the diner, closer to the ones he had still not forgotten.

The next morning Buffy felt guilty for the things she said to Spike. He hadn't deserved that, but he had made her so mad. She sighed and hoped this day would be better than the last, she needed a bit of luck right about now.

She quickly grabbed her books for her classes of that day and went to the university. Normally Willow would meet her there, but most of the time she was too busy with Tara to even care much about her classes. Today she had history and psychology, with the assistant Riley Finn leading the class that day.

"Buffy?"

She looked up in wonder as someone called her name.

"Alright, there you are." Riley said with a smile as the other kids started to giggle. Buffy found it 'very' immature of Riley to point out that she wasn't paying attention. But still, she liked the young man. He was not difficult to understand, not a boy who lived half way around the world most of the time. When the class finished Riley ran to catch up with her.

"Buffy?"

"Oh, hi Riley."

"I'm sorry about getting your attention in that way, but it's important to actually hear the lecture." He tried to explain his behaviour. "It's kind of vital for the exam."

Buffy flashed white teeth in a wide smile. "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind. And it's not that I don't like hearing you lecture, it's just I have a lot of things to think about at the moment."

Riley nodded and left her alone. At the moment the young man disappeared, her thoughts wandered off to Spike. She had no idea where he had been the previous night, but she hoped he'd be with his aunt and uncle, that's where she headed.

"Oh hello Buffy, come in." His aunt smiled at her before opening the door completely so she could step through. "He is in his room, sulking. I think he punched a hole in his closet." The older woman sighed. "When he gets like this he doesn't want to talk to someone, maybe you are in more luck."

Apparently she didn't know the reason why he was being so stubborn, Buffy thought to herself. She hesitated as she went up the stairs, what if he didn't want to talk to her? At her soft knock on the door came no answer and Buffy opened it ,standing in his small bedroom. There were no personal affects, since he had left them all in her house. He sat in the middle of the bed with his headphones on, loud music blaring through them.

"Spike?" She asked as she came closer. His blue eyes flew open as she took one step. Apparently he had been paying attention to what happened downstairs, he seemed to know it was her, no surprise evident on his face.

"What are you doing here?"

His voice sounded kind of harsh, but she was used to it by now. Spike always talked like this when he was hurt, short and meant to hurt the other as well.

"I came to apologise."

Buffy sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for Spike to say something. When he didn't, she sighed and went on with her apology.

"I didn't meant it when I said I wanted you to go back to England. I have been looking forward to this for so long and all I can do is screw it up…." She hesitated but still said the next. "I'm still sure I saw Angel, but it doesn't bother me anymore. I'm not going to let him come between us… not anymore."

Spike hadn't said a word during the one sided conversation, but now he nodded.

"I'm glad you think about it that way, pet. I don't want to give you up either."

Their hands found each other and Spike smiled at her, full of confidence it would work this time, after the shaky start. Buffy wasn't too sure though.. Spike was with her, and she should have been happy, but she was thinking about another certain blonde.

'I have a crush!" She waved it away and decided she would dedicate all her love to Spike, as he deserved.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: As promised, here is the next chapter already!

Revenge 6

--------------

It didn't take Angel long to get acquainted with the possibilities of the job. Little to no people recognised him as the cap he had to wear was pushed far over his eyes. He was friendly but short and kept to the kitchen as much as possible. After his meeting with Buffy he had become more careful, he didn't want to give himself out just then and there.

"You've done good for your first week."

"Thanks, boss."

He left towards the old, shabby motel which was his home from the moment he had set foot in Sunnydale. It was all he could afford, but he didn't complain, he was close to the one he wanted.

Buffys resolve to give all her love to Spike was tested early the next morning. They had gone to Buffys house together and Spike stayed with her, but it was not like the day before, when they were so happy to see each other. Spike almost seemed afraid to touch her or say anything wrong. As she arrived on the campus Riley was the first person she saw.

"Oh no…"

He hadn't seen her yet and she hoped she could keep it that way. If Riley spoke to her, she would feel lost again between him and Spike. Buffy knew she loved Spike, she was sure of it… but Riley was someone new and refreshing.

"Hello, Buffy… Ready for class?"

"I'll pay more attention this time."

Good, so the guy had a gorgeous smile, and he didn't look like Spike in the slightest. Why was she so attracted to him? Buffy really couldn't say.

"You're not doing very well, if you are not even listening to me here."

"I've heard all you said. Now, on to class."

"My lady."

She hooked her arm in his and they walked to class together. It was just a bit of unharmful fun, but it made her heart skip a beat. Oh god, what am I doing? Buffy wondered to herself as she walked into the class. She daydreamed all the hour long.

Afterwards she felt incredibly guilty about it. Her boyfriend was back for only two days and she was looking at other guys. She sighed and walked to her house, where she thought Spike would wait for her.

"Spike!"

No one answered. When she entered the kitchen there was a note on the counter. '_Sorry I'm not there, pet. Will and Tara asked me out. Give me an hour or two, 'kay? Love, S.'_

"They didn't even wait for me." She whispered.

"Why did you come back then, when you were feeling so good at Oxford?"

It was one of the questions Spike didn't expect from Willow. She knew practically everything about him, although there were of course secrets between them.

"You know that, pet."

"Buffy? I didn't realise you loved her that much. I mean, you have been through a lot together, but lately…" Willow clamped her mouth shot as Tara gave her an alarmed look. She tried to wave it away, but Spike would have none of it.

"Lately?" He questioned as he looked his friend in the eyes.

"It's just… She used to talk about you all of the time, you know. Be glad you were friends with us, because we would have sent her after you by mail otherwise. Our ears practically fell of our head with her nagging… and a few weeks ago it stopped. But… But we don't know why."

"Sure."

Spike was not buying it, but he let Willow get away with it. Until a few minutes later, when Tara had to get to the bathroom.

"This is your chance, pet. Now you don't have to be afraid that I will hurt Tara's soul by yelling and so on. Tell me."

"I can't, Spike, I promised."

"Willow."

Spike almost hissed the name and although Willow wasn't frightened of him, she knew his reputation all too well. He had always kept training in karate, having earned a black belt several years back. He would never do anything to hurt her, but the suppressed anger was enough for her to give in. Plus, she didn't like it when one of her best friends suffered, she wasn't sure this would do much to help him.

"There's a guy at university, an assistant. There is nothing going on between them, Spike, I'm sure of it. She loves you."

"Yeah." He answered shortly. He grabbed for his faithful duster and walked out of the diner, saying goodbye to Willow with a small lift of his hand. From the kitchen Angel had watched the entire scene play out. He had to take and give the orders through a window, which made it easy for him to hear.

"Second place again, Englishman. That has to hurt." He whispered with a grin, before going back to work.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Next chapter will be around on Wednesday, just letting you know. And if you think it's going to get better… you're wrong.

Revenge 7

--------------

Spike had an urge to slam with the doors, but remembered this was not his own home. This wouldn't have stopped him five years ago, right after his 'accident', but he had become more considerate. Oxford had helped him a lot in that matter, having to share a dorm with a few other students. He was surprised to find Buffy still up in the living room.

"I thought you would have gone to bed."

"I wanted to wait for you… if that's allowed." Buffy said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She kissed him lightly on the mouth before stepping back.

"Where did you go with Will and Tara?"

"The diner."

"Did you have fun?"

It was an innocent question, asked in the most innocent tone, but Spike wasn't fooled by it. With a smile he reached for her and noticed that she didn't immediately come to him. It hurt him, although he didn't show it. Eventually she took his hand and went into his arms.

"They invited the both of us, love, but you weren't home. I knew you had an exhausting day at university and I had nothing to do."

"I forgive you, Spike, no need for the explanation."

They sat down together and conversation fell silent. Spike found it an excellent opening to begin over his rival.

"How was university?"

"Like usual."

"That's not the answer I got when I was in Oxford. You could never shut up about it, Buffy. What's changed?"

"Nothing… no novelty anymore Spike. Stop bugging me about it."

She waved him off and he just got more roused up. No emotion showing on his face, the next question threw Buffy off completely.

"How about the friends you made there? Willow told me about a few of them."

"Fr.. Friends?"

"Yeah, Buffy, friends. Like that assistant of the professor!"

"This is too ridiculous for words!"

They were yelling at each other now, although they knew they shouldn't. Eventually it was Spike who calmed down first.

"I'm sorry, pet, I didn't mean to get so… so angry. I think it's with the jetlag and all…" He trailed off and sighed before trying again. "It's just that you build a whole other life without me, Buffy. You are… It seems like I know only a small piece of you."

"Don't you think I feel the same, Spike? We have seen each other for six months over the past three years. I don't know what you have been doing there. You have written so many letters, but you could have written all lies."

"You know I didn't, Buffy."

"How? How do I know for sure that you didn't pick a girl up at Oxford? Who knows you didn't say to her that you went home on the holidays?"

Spike sighed and sat down. He had been very angry at her in the past hours, but now he was just… disappointed.

"I didn't know you would think so low about me. I guess there is nothing left to say."

With that, he took his duster from the couch where he had thrown it when he came in. Buffy went after him, laying a hand on his arm.

"Spike, don't be like this."

"Like what? It's obvious what you think of me."

"Are you… are you breaking up with me?"

He looked at her for the first time since he took up his coat. His eyes hardened and his voice sounded low and cold.

"I gathered it was more like the other way around. You don't' want me in your house or in your bed, Buffy ,you made it painfully clear. If you don't mind, I'll be on my way."

He immediately turned and opened the door. Without giving Buffy a chance to speak her mind he left. He didn't want to give her the time to think about what she had done. He vowed to himself that this was final. If Buffy thought about him in that way, if she didn't even have the courage to trust him while he had to just know that she was faithful to him, they didn't fit together.

Buffy sat on the couch still, an hour after Spike had left. It was over, truly over… and it was all her fault. For one reason or another, she didn't feel so sad as she should. When she heard the door slam, her heart skipped a beat. Maybe he was back!

"Honey? Are you home?"

"I'm here, mum." She sighed.

"Where is Spike?" Joyce asked when she came into the living room. She saw Buffy, her shoulders slumped, sitting on the couch.

"We've broken up."

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry! You were doing so good again."

"I guess it wasn't meant to be." Buffy replied quietly.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Sorry, Wednesday became Thursday… next chapter will be up Saturday or Sunday.

Revenge 8

--------------

Spike didn't want to go back to his aunt and uncle. He had troubled them enough over the years and he thought it was time he came up with his own solutions. He knew only one place where he could stay, in the dorms with Willow. He snuck down the hallway of the university, it was past curfew and he wasn't supposed to be there. He knew this from his time in Oxford, but there were always ways to get around it.

"Will?"

He knocked softly on the door. A sleepy Willow opened the door, barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Spike? What are you doing here?"

"Buffy and me are having problems. Can I stay?"

Willow seemed to hesitate for a moment, but nodded. She let him in and closed the door behind her. It was only then he noticed there was someone else in the room.

"Why didn't you say something, Will? I'll find something…"

"No." Tara said from her spot on the bed. It was a dorm room for two, but Tara and Willow apparently slept in one bed. "You… you can stay, Spike, no problem."

"Thanks, love." He said with a smile.

"Have the other bed, Spike, it's not like we're using it."

Spike was a little surprised by the ease Willow seemed to talk about her relationship. He nodded and shed his duster, jeans and shirt, diving under the blankets. He was confident about his body, having trained it for years, but two women staring at you was not immediately what he was looking for.

"Goodnight, Spike."

"G'night, pet." He mumbled before closing his eyes. He hoped the morning would bring him some better news, because his return to America had not been successful until now.

Buffy had cried herself to sleep, in the embrace of her mum. Joyce had wanted to strangle Spike at first, but he had always seemed like a sensible young man, even though a little angry. She would comfort her daughter and listen to her, but she wouldn't interfere, she vowed to herself.

The next morning Buffy woke up with a headache from her late night tears. She was not so much sad anymore as angry. Especially at Spike for not even listening to her when she tried to explain nothing happened. Because he didn't understand that she trusted him hundreds of miles away in England, but he couldn't trust her! Grumbling she skipped breakfast and went straight to university.

"How sad is it that I have to go to class to take my mind of things." She muttered as she walked along on campus, books under her arm. She noticed Riley a bit further on and decided she was allowed to talk to other men. Spike had said they were broken up, right?

"Riley." She smiled as she approached him. Apparently the young man hadn't seen her coming, because he seemed genuinely surprised.

"Hey Buffy, I thought you didn't have classes until this afternoon?"

"I'm going to study a little in the library, I think." She only then realised Riley had been right. She didn't have anywhere to go for the next hours.

"Wow, devoted student."

"That's me, devoted Buffy." She answered and in reaction, Riley smiled. He was a nice guy, she decided as she looked at him. Not like Spike, although he had changed over the years. No, she wouldn't think of Spike anymore!

The object of her thoughts had, unnoticed to Buffy herself, moved around campus as well. He had eaten breakfast with Willow and Tara and was now walking them to class in not one of his best moods before he would head off to his aunt and uncle. Suddenly a flash of blonde caught his eyes.

"Oh, I didn't think Buffy had classes this morning." Willow said in his place as she noticed Buffy as well. Right then Riley walked up next to the girl.

"Now you know why she is here."

Spikes voice was cold as ice when he said what neither Tara or Willow dared to mention. He had never thought Buffy would cheat on him, but the prove was right there, only a day after they broke up.

"That is how much I mean to her." He sighed. He didn't know whether to be angry or just plain tired, but he wasn't going to let her get away with it.

"Buffy!" He shouted as he approached them rapidly. The girl startled but Riley had no clue who was coming towards them. He wasn't intimidated and just thought him a punk friend of Buffy, although he didn't know what such a bright girl was doing with him.

"Is he the assistant?"

"Spike…"

"I asked you a question."

"Yes, I'm the assistant of professor Walsh. Why are you so desperate to know?" Riley asked rather curious.

"Like you don't know, ponce." Spike hissed before looking at Buffy again. "I hope you have a nice life, luv, without me in it. I will never forgive you for this." With that he stalked away, not looking back. Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes and she turned to Riley.

"Your boyfriend?"

"Ex, obviously." She replied softly, her head buried against his chest. Riley had put protective arms around her and it seemed a little safer to her. She could just stay in them for a little while.

"Spike!"

The angry Englishman didn't listen to the cries of Willow and Tara, but disappeared through the gates of the campus. He had enough of America already.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Buffy deals with the breakup of Spike by running into Rileys arms. Little do both know in which danger they are. Next update on Wednesday!

Revenge chap 9

-

"Come, you can clean up a bit in here."

Riley had taken Buffy to the teachers lounge, where he was allowed to come some times since he was an assistant. The young woman was still not over her shock of seeing Spike and him accusing her of cheating.

"Is he always this aggressive? Then you're lucky you got out of that relationship."

He said casually as he leaned against the wall, watching her as she washed her face and hands. She looked up at him through the mirror.

"I don't think of him as aggressive… And if he is it's not his fault. He has been very good to me but it wasn't meant to be."

Riley shrugged and left it at that, it wasn't any of his business. Although he was planning on making it his business, somewhere in the near future. He looked at Buffy and hoped she would feel the same way in time.

"Didn't you miss a few classes?"

She asked a bit sheepishly as she turned to him.

"I don't think we were missed very much, there are enough people in an auditorium. Want some coffee?"

"Sure."

Since Riley had already missed most of his classes and Buffy had not much of them to begin with, she thought it couldn't hurt much. Walking side by side they left the campus behind and made their way to the town of Sunnydale. Normally Buffy would have gone straight to the Bronze, but Riley seemed to have a different idea.

"Have you never been to the coffee house, It's great… and quiet."

"People say you should try everything at least once."

They both smiled and walked into the small bar where only a few more customers sat to enjoy their drink.

"Spike! Wait!"

Willow and Tara had finally managed to catch up with him, but Spike didn't want to listen. He turned to them and glared.

"Don't try to talk her out of this, I have seen it with my own eyes!"

"We won't… It's just… they weren't doing anything, Spike."

"What!"

"They just walked together. She has never looked at another guy when she was with you, Spike. Not even when you were away… maybe she just felt lonely."

"Sure… Now that I've come back she feels lonely."

He grumbled, but his anger had faded during Willows speech. He realised it maybe wasn't all Buffys fault. He had gone away to Oxford for months and although he had missed her very much, it was no reason fly back to America and stay with her.

"I'll go talk to her later, but right now I just need some time to think."

It was said in a soft voice and Spike was clearly at the end of his wit. Willow knew from experience this was the time when he was the most dangerous and when he bit back the hardest.

"Spike.. just… don't act out of anger, please."

She pleaded with him because she understood what he was about, although he had hurt her too after he had been shot. Like so many people, he had pushed her away, but unlike others, Buffy, Xander and Willow hadn't taken the no for an answer.

"Don't, Will… Leave me."

Willow wanted to try again, but Tara took her hand and lead her away. With much protest she came along and she was about to tell her girlfriend a piece of her mind when the soft spoken girl opened her mouth.

"I know you want to help him, Willow, but you have to let him deal with this on his own. They will get through this if they're supposed to."

"But he sees it all wrong! Buffy doesn't want anything to do with that Riley guy!"

"Let Buffy tell him that when he has calmed down enough. Just.. do like he asked."

Willow nodded, but she didn't have to like it that two of her best friends were not together anymore. She let Tara take her to the Bronze where they talked about the best way to deal with this break up, now they had to choose between Spike and Buffy.

"Wow, it's kind of cool in here… is this a new place?"

Riley smiled at the wonder in Buffys voice, she even didn't know everything in her own town.

"No, it has been for quite a while. Well, I think so because it was here when I started at university. The coffee is good, but they have other things if you like."

"No, coffee is fine."

When someone came to take their order, they didn't notice that the waiter passed it through an open window in the back. A young man with long black hair looked at the young couple with interest.

"A new man in town… always knew you moved fast."

He murmured as he poured the coffee for the both of them. If they stayed for a little while, maybe he would have the chance he had been waiting for during all those years he had stayed in prison. Her guard dog wasn't with her anymore and that boy she was with now didn't really seem like much of a danger.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Buffy notices Angel… again. But this time Spike isn't there to catch her.

Revenge chap. 10

-

"Do you know that guy?"

"What?"

Buffy and Riley had been talking for hours and there weren't much customers anymore. They were ready to head home when she heard him say the words.

"Someone in the back… the kitchen, I think. He was there a minute ago, he looked at you funnily."

"I've never been here before so I don't think anybody knows me here. Maybe I'm a double to someone… everybody has their double on this world."

"Oh, now you're coming into my field!"

Riley smiled and the two of them started a conversation about psychology as Angel ducked away in the kitchen. It hadn't taken a lot for him to follow the entire exchange between the two, but he had been stupid enough to lean forward in the window so that young man saw him.

"Good thing she didn't look up." He whispered as he went to wash the dishes. He had seen enough. Riley was no match for Angel, that much he knew. Even the Englishman had only gotten off with a lot of luck. He would pay them a visit when he got the chance.

He would get that chance much sooner than he anticipated, because the young couple stayed for a lot longer than they intended. Both caught up in each other, they talked until the bartender began to look at his watch and tried to tell them with a lot of body language it was time to go home.

"I haven't told mum I was going out today, I don't think she'll like it."

"Aren't you staying on campus? I thought you shared a room with someone."

"I used to."

Buffy didn't want to talk about the period after Spike had gone to Britain. He had started university together with her, but after a few weeks he had taken up the courage to talk to her about everything. He missed his homeland and this was the perfect opportunity to go back. He would miss her, of course, but going to Oxford had always been his dream.

"Willow, a friend of mine, hires the room from me. It's not very far from home and after Spike… well, I was glad to be with my mum."

"That's understandable."

Buffy was glad Riley didn't say anything more. He just stood up and paid for the both of them. Again he felt like someone was watching him, but this time he let it slip. He just wanted to get out of there and get home. He had always found this a cool place, but this was creepy.

"Good night."

They went out the door and headed towards Buffys house. They didn't walk particularly fast, as the nightly streets of Sunnydale didn't form a bit of a threat. The weather was nice in California, like it was all the time, and they weren't in a real hurry.

"It's strange that I haven't noticed you sooner though… Normally I don't miss such beautiful girls."

"Oh stop it!"

"Seriously."

Riley even startled himself by the honesty in his words. Normally it took him weeks to even talk to a girl. He had admired Buffy from a distance for months already now, but he knew she had a boyfriend, although he had never seen them together. With her explanation he now understood that Spike had studied in Oxford all these years.

"He was stupid to give you up."

"Don't Riley… please."

"Alright, I won't say another world about it, but I still know I'm right."

Buffy glared at him, but she didn't say anything against it. She might have broken up with Spike, but she didn't want to hear a bad word about him.

Angel had wrapped up his work at top speed when he heard they were about to leave. He was about done anyway, since the other customers had left hours ago. The bartender would lock up and Angel left through the backdoor, yards behind Riley and Buffy. He walked perfectly at ease, his head in the collar of his coat.

He heard most of what they were talking about and smiled to himself when he heard how and why Spike had broken up with Buffy. It would do him so much good to say that to her face, that it was all her fault and that she would always be the one to make the mistake in a relationship.

And then she looked behind her.

"Oh my god, that's Angel." She whispered.

"Who?"

"Angel, the one who… never mind, I have to call Spike."

"Buffy."

She kissed him quickly on the cheek and went inside her house.

"I'm sorry, Riley, but this is important, you wouldn't understand."

When she got inside, she hurried to the phone and dialled the number of the aunt and uncle of Spike. It took them a while to answer, since it was the middle of the night.

"Who is this?"

"Hi, it's Buffy. I'm sorry I call so late, but it's important. Can I speak to Spike?"

"He's not here, Buffy and he doesn't want to talk to you… I'm sorry."


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Thank you for the reviews! Oh.. and guess who's baaaaaack!

Revenge chap.11

-

"Damn you, Spike."

Buffy slammed the phone back in its cradle, but picked it up after a few seconds, trying to call on his cellphone.

"This is Spike, leave a message."

"Spike, it's Buffy! If you're there, please pick up. I saw Angel again and this time I didn't imagine it. He was here, Spike, he's back in town. I'm so scared…"

Almost in tears, she hung up. She cursed herself for the fact Angel still had that much effect on her. And why did she have to run to Spike? She could tell Riley and he would help her as well.

While telling herself to do just that, she kept seated and stared at the phone.

"I'm pathetic." She sighed.

"It's good to know I'm not the only one thinking it." A voice came from very close behind her. She turned suddenly and stood eye to eye with the one she had dreamed about for months, whose name she screamed when she woke up from her nightmares.

"Angel."

"Hello, Buffy."

A muffled groan came from the young man which he held. Riley had been knocked over the head, but he was slowly waking up.

"On the couch, the both of you." Angel grumbled as he showed them a supposedly loaded gun, waving with it towards the piece of furniture. Buffy took Riley by the hand and lead him towards the couch, sitting next to him.

"What a lovely scene… too bad it's not with the Englishman anymore, than I would have a little more fun than now."

"What do you want, Angel?"

"What I've always wanted… you."

Buffy swallowed as Riley shook his head. He had heard most of the conversation, but couldn't grasp it; He didn't understand what was going on.

"I don't know who you are, man, but…"

Angel glared at the young man in front of him. "You are lucky you're not the one I need, boy, or you would have been dead by now."

That did shut Riley up. Angel shoved the phone back in Buffy's hands. "You are going to call Spike and you're going to tell him I'm here… in your house. Just tell him the truth, I want him to come running, understand?"

"No! You can't! I won't do it."

She didn't see his hand coming and it hit her cheek quite hard. With tears in her eyes she looked defiantly at him.

"You can't make me, Angel, you'll have to kill me for it."

"I'll even do worse." Angel grinned as he pulled a struggling Riley closer. He pointed the gun right at his ear. "I don't think… Riley, is it?... wants to die just yet. But I will kill him if you don't pick up that phone and tell Spike to come over here. Maybe I'll just torture him a little first."

"No… Angel, please."

"You have no idea what you did to me in jail, girl. Now you'll have to live the hell you created for me. Call him!"

Without thinking she picked up the phone and dialled the number. Another few rings, but still the answering machine of the cell phone did his work.

"You see? Answering machine, he doesn't want to talk to me."

"Then make him!" Angel shouted.

She sighed and dialed again.

"Spike, it's Buffy. Would you please pick up the phone? I know you are there because it rings. This is the third message already… please?"

Spike sighed as the phone rung for the third time that night. He knew who it was and he had to refrain himself from answering. He and Buffy had broken up, it was not right to call each other right after a breakup… was it? It took the fifth call for him to pick up.

"Buffy, would you please leave me alone."

"Spike? Spike, I have to talk to you."

"No, you don't… Buffy…"

"No, I mean it. Angel is here."

"What?"

"Hello Englishman." A male voice sounded through the phone. "I think it's better you get over here, because your girlfriend and her… lover are pretty much dead otherwise."


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Macotee: Thank you, it's nice that at least someone reads my story. And I fear it will get worse before it gets better.

Revenge chap. 12

-

"What kind of twisted sicko are you, mate?" Spike asked through the phone, still not believing it was his former enemy.

"Twisted sicko, interesting choice of words… even more interesting as you realise I have a loaded gun pointed at the headof your girlfriend. Or should I say, ex-girlfriend? I knew you were into my seconds, man, I just didn't think it would take you so long to get rid of her."

That silken tone betrayed the truth to Spike. He had hoped, until now, it was some kind of sick joke Buffy played on him for dumping her. Her new boyfriend calling him to tell he would never get a chance with Buffy again, something like that. But this, this was…

"Angel!"

"You finally recognise me. Now that you do, it is time you get over here, Brit boy. I think I have been patient for long enough. I want you, in this house, in half an hour. Got that?"

"Yeah."

"Good. See ya then, Englishman."

"Hello? Hello!" Spike was still yelling in the phone when Angel hung up. He wanted to talk to Buffy, see how she was. He couldn't care less about her new boyfriend, or how she preferred to call that Riley bloke, but he had to help her. With only a slight hesitation he dialed the number for Willows dorm.

"Do you know what time it is?"

"I'm sorry, Will, I know it's late, but you have to do me a favour." Spike said urgently. His voice almost sounded begging and that was what got Willow to listen. Spike never begged, not for anything or to anyone… this had to be important.

"What's wrong?"

"Angel is back in town."

The gasp on the other line made clear nobody had ever thought this might be a possibility. He heard Willow say something to Tara, who had just woken up.

"How come? He had to do more than ten years?"

"Out on good behaviour, I have no idea. Thing is, he is still into his old habits. Listen Willow, if you can't find me in the morning, call the police."

"What?"

"You've heard me."

"Spike, what are you going to do? Spike!"

He did not respond, but put down the phone and sighed. He couldn't tell his best friend the truth or she would try to talk him out of it. Picking up his cellphone and his wallet, he ran towards his car. He only had twenty minutes left to get to Buffy and he knew he would barely make it.

"What did Spike say, Will?"

"That if he doesn't show tomorrow, we have to call the police."

"What do you think has happened?"

"I don't know. He said Angel was in town, maybe he has tried to contact Buffy or something. Whatever it was, it didn't sound too good."

Willow sighed as she contemplated on calling the police right at that moment. Why would they believe her? The only thing she knew was that an ex-prisoner walked around town and that it happened to be an enemy of a close friend of hers, who had called her in panick. It could mean anything and that was probably what the police would say too.

"Do you want to go and see Buffy?"

"Now? No, she's probably asleep, or Spike is with her. Maybe they can even talk things out a little."

"I'm sorry for them, you know… they never really had the chance for a normal relationship."

Willow nodded and looked at her girlfriend, grateful for what they had together. Still worried, but just a tad less, she crawled back into bed and attempted to get some sleep.

Spike looked at the house as he shut down the engine of his car. All seemed quiet and dark, just like it was supposed to be at this time of night. But still, something was off… like no soul dared to even breath in- or outside the house. He locked his car up and walked to the front door of the house. Spike hesitated as he wanted to knock.. what would he find? Buffy and Riley in a pool of blood, just for him to find. Or would they laugh at him because he came rushing here, if it was a joke after all. Then he knocked, pushing all other thoughts aside.

"Open the door." Angel whispered in Buffys ear as he stood right behind her, with the gun at her back. Buffy walked towards the door and opened it, seeing Spike.

"Spike, don't…"

"Ahahah." Angel said as he gave her a hard nudge in the back. Buffy hissed in pain ,but shut her mouth. Spike stood, staring at Angel, before his face contorted in anger.

"You sick bastard! Why did you even show up here!"

"Lovely to see you to, Englishman. Why don't you come on in?"

"I'm not in the mood for one of your jokes, Angel."

"Too bad then, because you see… you have no say in what happens here." Angel said slowly as a grin appeared on his face. "Now get inside this house or your ex-girlfriend will be no more, do you understand?"

Although Spike knew Angel wasn't going to harm Buffy, not just yet, he stepped inside the house and got knocked out by Angel immediately.

"You're not pulling that karate stunt on me again." Angel grumbled as he pushed Buffy towards the kitchen.

"Find rope and tie him up."


	13. Chapter 13

AN: So as to not break the tension, I did not write how Riley ended up inside the house, but let us say that Angel dragged him in. :o)

Revenge chap. 13

-

Spike woke up a little fuzzy and with a terrible head ache. 'Reminds me of the last time I drank too much in Oxford." He thought to himself as he wanted to rub his forehead. To his amazement, his hands didn't cooperate… they were somehow… bound together?

"I'm glad to see you're awake."

He knew that voice. He had heard it many times before, in his nightmares more than anywhere else. He opened his eyes to stare in the face of Angel.

"Good, no more pretending to be asleep now, Englishman. Wouldn't want your ex-girlfriend to feel lonely, now do you? After all, that guy over there," He said as he pointed at a silent Riley, "Doesn't seem to mean much anyway. She begged to let you go, do you know that? How pathetic can you be, right? Like I would ever let you get away from here."

Spike scratched his throat before opening his mouth. It felt like something had died on his tongue, but he managed to keep a straight face.

"Just let the bloke go, Angel. He has nothing to do with this."

"I agree." Angel said with a nod. "It was very unfortunate for him to go home with Buffy. But then again, who wouldn't go home with her, right man?" He said friendly towards the startled young man.

"Och come now, you've lost your tongue? Riley, is it? You see, Riley, I don't like it when people mess with what is mine. And despite what Buffy ever might have told you… She is mine."

"I'm…"

"Shut your mouth, girl, or you'll be sorry."

Spike silently shook his head at her. This was a far too dangerous situation to be going all badass on Angel. He didn't know how the man had survived these few years of prison, but his mental state certainly didn't get better. The ex-prisoner went on rambling about what Buffy had ever done to him, in the most gruesome details one could get. Buffy blushed and ducked her head away, but Riley didn't even glance at her.

"Would you still want her after what I told you?"

"It could be lies."

The silence grew thick in the room as Angel glared at Riley. But then he smiled and paced around the room.

"Yes, of course it could be all lies… But you have heard of her reputation too, haven't you? Haven't you!" Angel practically shouted at Riley, who nodded.

"Reputation?" Spike whispered to Buffy, who just put her head in her hands and refused to answer to anyone.

"What kind of reputation, Riley? Tell Spike."

"Some guys call her the make out queen."

"And all that, Spike." Angel said as he walked closer to him. "Behind your back, while you were in Oxford. Auch, must hurt."

"I don't care, Angel." Spike said calmly.

"No, of course you don't, I figured you might have said something like that. But you see, I know better. It eats you away inside, a gnawing feeling… and before you know it, your shell will start to burst and the both of you would be in a terrible fight, which I would love to see. First things first though."

He turned back to Riley and grinned.

"You planned to date Buffy."

"No sir, I didn't."

The young man was scared, one could sense it from a mile off, but he tried to put on a brave face as he denied the words of Angel.

"You even meant to go further than that, you wanted to go out with her permanently, you wanted to become her new boyfriend."

"I only wanted to be friends with her."

"That's bullshit and you know it. Because of your dishonesty… and the fact that you do want Buffy, as much as you deny it, you will have to die."

"But;.. but… he 'was' her boyfriend."

"I am well aware of that, his fate will be even more harsh than yours. You just got in the way, I'm afraid."

"Angel, no!" Buffy shouted as she wanted to run towards him, but he backhanded her and she flew a few feet further in the room. Spike couldn't do anything as the knots on the ropes were extremely tight.

"Angel, think about this, mate. If they catch you, this will be worse than before."

The person concerned looked up into Spikes eyes, his own glistening with pure insanity.

"Guess what, Englishman, I don't care." He said clearly as pulled the trigger of the gun, which he had been carrying all that time in his hand, and aimed at the heart of a stunned Riley. The young man gasped as he fell to the floor in obvious pain, but it didn't take long. After a bit more than a minute, his body lay perfectly still.

"What have you done?" Buffy whispered.

"He got what he deserved. After I get rid of him, it will be time for the both of you."


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Buffy suffers from a nervous breakdown as Spike does all he can to get away from the house together with her.

Revenge chap. 14

-

"Fuck." Spike whispered as Angel disappeared around the back of the house. Was he really gone or just waiting for the right opportunity to strike again? Spike hoped the ex-prisoner had just forgotten to tie Buffy up because of his haste to get out. Not that the young woman needed ropes, she was devastated. Spike had watched her mental collapse in agony, because he couldn't do anything about it. Now, he tried to repair something that was left in her… or that he hoped was still left in her heart.

"Buffy, love?"

"Don't, Spike. It's better if we don't talk. If we talk, he might hear us and then you'll be dead. And I don't want you dead."

The words were spoken in a hurried whisper, while Buffy did not even glance in his direction. She was watching a blind wall, about the only one in the entire living room without pictures all across it.

"He is gone, love, he'll not return immediately."

"You said he would never come back, that we would be rid of him."

Spike cringed at her words and at the way they were spoken, almost emotionless, like she was in the middle of a forest, talking to a random tree in stead of to someone she loved with all her heart.

"I've made a mistake, Buffy… If you untie me I can fix it."

Now, she finally did an attempt to look at him. Green eyes full of unshed tears gazed at him which such pain, that he had to grit his teeth to stay calm.

"No, I've made the mistake that I would be able to be rid of Angel… but he keeps coming back. He haunts my dreams at night, Spike. You came and I thought it would be all different, but you didn't stay… and in those years when you only came around in the holidays, he was in my every nightmare. They finally have come true."

"No, no Buffy. I'm here, I'm not Oxford anymore. I can protect you."

He pleaded with her, he was begging her, but she would not budge. All the while he was tearing at his ropes, to no avail.

"That's sweet of you, Spike."

He grumbled as it seemed like she was really not going to untie him. That was when he turned to his last resort, he didn't care if she would hate him afterwards, at least they would both still be alive.

"You know what you are like? You've become like Dru."

This caught her attention.

"What?" Buffy asked as her eyes turned to small slits and she turned fully towards him now, the name of his former lover working like a red cloth onto a bull.

"You are just as frightened as she and you are beginning to sound like her as well. She is a sweet girl, really… but she was totally obsessed by Angel. You are too… it's because you don't want to leave him that you are becoming what you are."

"How dare you! I've sacrificed everything to be with you! I was a cheerleader before you came along, and you better remember that!"

"A cheerleader with rumours spreading around the school! Rumours about how easy that Buffy was and how she would climb into bed with anyone!"

"Liar!"

She was in tears now, screaming at him and close to pummelling her fists onto his chest. He dared to provoke her just a little more.

"I'm not and you know it, Buffy. He made you like that!"

"That's not true! You made me to what I am! Ugly and plain and…"

She had walked right up to the couch where he sat, her hands now in front of her face as not to look at him directly.

"Oh Spike, I was so lonely in those years without you."

Was that the real reason why she was so angry at him? Because she was feeling left alone when he was in England, studying and completing his dream?

"I'm here now, love, I'm not going to leave you, not ever again. Come sit beside me."

She did as he asked, without questioning him.

"Buffy… If you don't untie me, I will have to leave you again."

"No, no you can't leave me."

Buffy shook her head and came closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder.

"You have finally come back to me…"

"I won't be here for long if Angel gets his way. Love, you must listen to me and untie me, so that I can run. You can come with me and we will start over somewhere else, I promise. Angel will not find us again."

She was so hopeful, the way she looked at him, that it pained him to do what he had to next.

"Okay." She whispered before daftly untying the knots which held his hands in place. He rubbed his wrists and smiled at her.

"When do we leave?"

"For the moment… we're not leaving." He said to her with regret in his voice before taking her in her arms and pressing onto a few nerve bundles which he knew would make her unconscious.

"I'm sorry, love." He sighed before picking her up and taking her into her old bedroom, locking the door as he walked out again. Angel would be furious at his return, and he would be waiting for him.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Hard to summarize this, so I'll just let it flow.

Revenge chap. 15

"Honey, I'm home." Angel said softly, a grin plastered on his face, as he opened the front door of Buffys house. He had buried the body of Riley in the dept of the forest near the cemetery, where he was sure nobody would look for him. He was not even sure if anyone would really looked for the boy. Riley was not from around here, or so he had been told in his search for information about the new lover of Buffy.

"I hope the two of you have been good."

His voice changed to a low grumble as he realised nobody was in the living room upon his arrival. Although… someone sat in the nearby chair, close to the fireplace. As he turned, Spike sat there, his hands behind his back and a sad expression on his face.

"Where is she?"

"I couldn't follow her… she was too fast, I couldn't keep my balance."

"Spike, I'm not kidding here… I would have shot you a long time ago if it wasn't for her always hanging around you. Where is she? I'm not going to ask twice!"

"You have made her this way, you know."

Angel turned towards the other young man and was quite startled. The tough Spike had left the body of the young man in front of him completely and there sat a broken man, one who had just lost everything he lived for.

"What do you mean?"

"You drove her so far. You have made her insane. She thought you would not come back, that she had done something wrong. I have done everything I could do keep her from going down to the basement, but she was sure she would find rope there."

"No!"

"What would I gain by lying to you? I've already lost."

Spike sighed and in that sigh laid the weight of an entire world. Angel hurried towards the stairs to the basement, unaware of Spike loosening the cords around his wrists and silently following him.

"Buffy? Where are you? Come here, hon."

Angel called into the dark of the basement, but no sound erupted from the cool area. He wanted to switch on the light, but it seemed it was not working any longer. Spike was closing in on the dark-haired man, wanting to close this once and for all. He was no longer satisfied with locking this man up… no, he had caused them too much grief.

In the mean time, Buffy had woken up in her own bedroom and did not understand what was going on, until she remembered what Spike had done to her. Now that she was not under Angels influence, her mind was more clear and she knew what Spike was up to.

"I have to stop him." She whispered before trying the doorknob which of course would not open. Spike obviously had forgotten that she could escape at any time she wanted in the earlier days by climbing through her window and that was her means of escape this time as well.

She landed near the tree by her window and right in front of the small window of the basement, next to Angels eyes.

"That lying rat!"

Angel exclaimed. Spike was surprised as well by the sudden landing of Buffy, but he wouldn't back down now. Taking the kitchen knife from behind his back, which he had gotten from the kitchen before Angels return, he planted it into the other mans back, right underneath his ribcage.

Angel hissed in pain but managed to turn around.

"Did you think it was that easy to get rid of me, boy?"

He grumbled, but he was wavering and Spike could feel this.

"No, I never thought that… I just wanted to get rid of you, by any means. Goodbye, Angel."

With that, he dealt a powerful kick to the chest of his attacker and Angel went sailing down the stairs, landing flat on his back. The loud sickening noise of bone being broken sent Spikes stomach into his throath, but he managed to swallow it down.

"Spike!"

Buffy flew through the kitchen door and into his arms.

"What did you do? You killed him!"

"It was either he or us, Buffy… I had to do something."

"What will they do to you when they find him? You are going to prison, just like him! I can't stand loosing you again, Spike… I've been without you for so long."

Spike had expected a tantrum, a hysterical Buffy hanging onto him, but the girl remained still and said her words in the same tone as before. No, this was not his Buffy talking to him, that one would have slapped him several times over before even saying anything to him.

"Why don't you let me take care of that, love? I'll call Willow and the others so they can take you in for a little while."

"Why can't I stay with you?"

He moved closer to her and laid his arms around her, enclosing the young woman in his arms and wanting to keep her safe from all the harm in the world. He had never felt so protective over anyone until now… it had taken a dead threat to realise what Buffy really meant to him.

"It won't be for long, love, I promise." He kissed her on the lips and leaded her towards the couch, where he had seated just a few hours ago, bound at his hands. He dialed the number for Willows dorm.

"Hello?" A sleepy voice of an equally sleepy Willow sounded through the telephone.

"I killed Angel."


	16. Chapter 16

Revenge chap 16

"That isn't funny, Spike… at all. What have you been drinking?"

Spike sighed wearily.

"Please come to Buffys house. I need your help."

Without any other words he put the phone back in the cradle and walked to Buffy. With one look at her he picked her up again to carry her to the bedroom.

"What are you doing?"

"You need rest… you seem like you're about to tip over. Now love, let me worry about everything and just go to sleep for me, alright? Tomorrow it'll be better, I promise."

"Are you going to leave me?"

Her voice sounded so tiny, so lost, that Spike felt his heart breaking. He gently laid her on the bed and went to sit next to her.

"I can't promise that I'll never leave your side… that's impossible. But I will always come back to you, that you can count on."

With that he kissed her and lovingly touched her cheek.

"Sleep now. Willow will come over soon and she'll stay with you for the rest of the night, you won't be alone."

Two minutes after Spike had put the phone down, Willow was still staring at it.

"Will, what's wrong?"

Tara asked this sleepily, from her side of the bed, before slowly standing up and coming towards Willow. She took the phone out of Willows hand and turned the other girl towards her.

"Will? Was that Spike? What is wrong?"

"He just told me he has killed Angel."

"You have probably understood him wrong, honey."

"He literally said: I killed Angel. I have to go to Buffy's house, I can't stand this!"

Tara watched her friend frantically looking for her clothes and shoes and decided it was better to come along. Willow was in now condition to drive or do anything for that matter.

"Will, your shoes!"

She called out after the redhead, dangling the shoes in front of her as she walked past Willow. She took the seat of the driver and they hurried to Rodello Drive together, where they were greeted by an open front door and silence.

"Something is definitely wrong here."

"Spike? Spike!"

Spike came walking down the stairs and smiled at the pair.

"Thank you for coming so fast. I need you to stay with Buffy while I take care of some business. And then it'll be all over."

"Were you… were you telling the truth?"

Spike glanced at her and sighed. He stepped back to be able to close the door and watched the both of them for a moment before turning his back to them.

"It's better if you don't know much about it. If they catch me, you won't be accomplices that way. Just take care of Buffy for me… she is not well."

Willow wanted to go after Spike as he went to the basement, but Tara held her back, pointing towards the stairs.

"Buffy needs you now… Spike is right. Let him be."

Willow let herself be dragged upstairs where Tara opened the door for her towards Buffys room. She stayed near the door, but let Willow go to the bed, where Buffy lay asleep. The only thing they could do is watch and hope she would not awake and find Spike gone. They had no idea of the condition Buffy was in mentally.

Spike had much difficulty with moving Angels body which had become heavier now that the person in question didn't cooperate. With effort he lifted the dark haired man and carried him towards Angels car. He hoped he could let the both of them disappear… and with that hoped nobody would ever think of the man again.

Laying a blanket over the body, he sighed and turned towards the house once more.

"If I go to prison… it was worth it. I did this for Buffy." He reminded himself before getting in the car and driving away. Trying to think about everything at once, he checked where he could have left fingerprints and if he had touched Angels clothing somewhere he hadn't supposed to.

He drove the car straight to a swamp close to the spot where Angel had dumped Riley. He shifted the car in gear and jumped out of it at the last moment, making a nasty fall himself. As he crawled up he watched the car disappear in the muddy water.

"Maybe you don't believe it, but I'm sorry, Angel. You would have devastated Buffy, if you haven't already."

"Stay where you are!"

Lights flashed from everywhere and Spike stood like a deer caught in headlights, hands slightly above his head and not knowing where to turn. A policeman carefully stepped towards him.

"So, you have made the mistake to come back to the place of crime… and with a second murder nonetheless. Turn around and lay down."


	17. Chapter 17

Revenge chap 17

"You are guilty, son, there is no point in denying it."

Spike had been pulled into a police car and currently sat in the police station of Sunnydale. Two bodies had been found and the young man in front of the desk was caught red handed. This was the easiest job they had to do in the past years. He hadn't talked at all since he had been there.

"There will be an investigation, but if you confess now we will make you a deal. No death penalty, maybe life… better, yeah?"

With that, Spike looked up and watched the policeman in front of him.

"It doesn't matter, I did what I had to do. If I confess, can I get a phonecall?"

"Sure."

He did the entire story as it was the truth through his eyes. He didn't make his role any prettier than it was, but he excluded Buffy from it. He wanted her to be the innocent in all this and he was slowly succeeding. After a few hours he got the phonecall he had asked for and when he dialed Buffys house he got Willow on the line.

"Spike?"

"Will, I'm at the policestation."

"What?"

"They caught me, someone has told the police something odd was happening at the forest. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. They charged me with double murder. Don't tell Buffy any of this… Take care of her, see that she gets better."

"Spike, she will notice when you're not here, you know. What are we going to do without you? Do you have bail? Is there a chance you get out of this?"

"I don't know yet… this is the only phonecall I get. Come visit me if you can."

Spike broke the connection and again Willow stared at the other end. Afterwards she went to Buffys bed, the girl had woken up several hours ago but she had kept quiet because of Willows promise of Spikes return.

"Buffy, now you must listen to me, alright?"

"He's not coming back, is he?"

"Buffy…"

"He just left me! Everybody leaves me…"

Just about every ten minutes the past hour she began crying. Willow wanted to embrace her, but she fought it and crawled under the blankets. Both of the girls sighed as they looked at each other.

The next morning an ambulance came to Buffys house to pick up the young woman. The psychiatrist had declared her not fit to stay alone and Willow had consented in this. Buffy kicked and screamed, but it was no use, the men did their work. That same day Willow went to visit her, but Buffy wouldn't look at the redhead.

"Buff…"

"Go away, I hate you."

The doctor eased her out of the room and took her aside.

"This will not last… she will be happy once she has began her recovery. It is a many a seen sign."

Willow nodded and left Buffy to her own recovery, which wasn't the best move to be made. As Spike was in jail awaiting his trial, Buffy did not get many visitors outside Tara, Willow and of course loyal Xander. It did her no good though, as she withered away in stead of improving. The doctor again took Willow aside, this time it was more out of concern.

"The psychiatrist has a lot of trouble with her, she won't open up. She only seems to talk about the happy moments of her life..; and she repeats the name 'Will' and 'Spike' over and over. He is her boyfriend, I presume? Why doesn't he come to visit her?"

"That is a very long story, doctor. I'll see what I can do."

Willow was determined to save her friend and she had to do it through the police. She walked into the police station and demanded to see the man in charge.

"Sir, I would ask a favour of you. It involves one of your prisoners." She swallowed and tried her best to sound very confident. "This is the phonenumber of Doctor Anderson, the psychiatrist of my best friend, Buffy Summers."

"Buffy Summers? I've heard of her… she is…"

"The girlfriend of one of your prisoners. She is mentally ill."

"I'm sorry about that."

"We need Spi… William to make her better. He just has to come for one visit and try and talk to her."

"You know I can't do that, miss." The policeman sighed as he looked at her. "It is impossible and against the law."

"But you can be there! With guards! Just… talk to Doctor Anderson."

"I will call him, but I don't promise anything."

"That's enough for now. Thank you, sir."

With that she left the policestation with slightly more hope. He had not said 'no' and that was the most important thing. She hoped the psychiatrist could do the rest.


	18. Chapter 18

Revenge chap. 18

In the next couple of days, Willow heard nothing from either the psychiatrist or someone from the police station. Buffy was in bed all day, mumbling to herself about how she was so happy that Will finally would come back home, so they could be together. According to her troubled mind, Spike was still residing in England, Oxford, at university. The dreadful night of the murder had never happened.

"Ms. Rosenburg, would you please come for a moment?" Doctor Anderson asked as he gestured for Willow to come into the hallway. The young woman tried to sit by Buffys bed every day for at least an hour, but it was difficult since she always got ignored.

"Have you heard from the police, doctor?"

"I have called in a few favours and they would allow him to be escorted here under heavy security. He will be in shackles which will only be taken off in the room and the room will be searched through before hand. The day after tomorrow it is arranged."

It wasn't of her habit, but she hugged the doctor who had taken so well care of her friend and who had done the effort to get Spike out of prison, even if it was for only a couple of hours. She said goodbye to Buffy and immediately went home to Tara, whom she told the exciting news.

"It will be good for her, I just know it."

"Yes, but he will leave her afterwards… I don't know… but hopefully." Tara was being careful about the outcome of Spikes visit. Maybe it would do Buffy more bad than good. The event of the double murder had slowly subsided and wasn't on the front page of every paper anymore, but it would take too long for Spikes trial to begin. Neither Tara nor Willow wanted Buffy in the spotlight as the girlfriend of the murderer who had collapsed under the heavy burden.

"What?"

"I said you could go see your girlfriend. If that is too hard to understand, I would gladly leave you here. A psychiatrist, who is apparently a good friend of the chief, thinks you will be her only way to get out of her sanity. Nice girl you have there, son."

"Shut up, you don't know anything about her."

The cop flew to the bars of the prison and his eyes burned with a certain hatred. Spike had stepped back to the wall, where he was out of reach of the guard.

"Be careful, son, or you won't get to see her. We have been nice to you here, even if you are a filthy murderer. Don't overdo it."

With that the guard went away and left Spike to his own thoughts. He couldn't believe Buffy was so far away from him, mentally speaking. He had seen Willow occasionally, although he had asked for her to stay away. They had rarely spoken of Buffy, because he couldn't bear to hear about her. Maybe it had not been the best thing… but now he would have to go and see her.

The next morning Buffy was brought to another room, for which she cared nothing. Wether she stared at one wall or the other, it apparently didn't mean anything to her. Cops searched her room for any means to escape for Spike, sealed the window from the outside and cleaned out the closets. Nurses escorted Buffy back to her room, where she could wait for Spike to arrive. The staff had not mentioned his arriving to Buffy, as they hoped it would have a shock effect on her to see him.

In the late afternoon two guards came out of a police car and helped Spike out. In shackles, he walked down the hallway of the psychiatric wing of the Sunnydale hospital. They had come through a backdoor, so that barely anyone would see them.

"You've got one hour." One of the policemen said as he unshackled Spike and opened the door of the hospital room for him. Spike nodded and breathed deeply, stepping through.

Buffy laid on her side, facing the window. She was mumbling things to herself, as she always did.

"Buffy, love?"

Her head slowly lifted itself from the pillow and then lowered again.

"I must be hearing things as well. The doctors say I'm crazy, so I probably am. Just because I think Will will be here soon…"

It hurt Spike to see his love like this, but he hoped there was at least something he could do for her.

"Buffy, Will is here to see you." He said as he walked around to bed so he was on the side of the window. He had gotten regular clothes for his visit to the hospital, Buffy wouldn't notice at thing about him being imprisoned.

Buffy smiled at seeing him and stretched out her hand. As he touched hers, her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp.

"You are really here, I'm not dreaming! You came back from England!"

In her hospitalrobe, she jumped up and hugged him. He smiled that she recognised him, but he sighed as he made himself loose.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" She pouted.

"Of course I am happy to see you, love, you know that. There is something I have to tell you though, so you can remember what has happened. I have been back in America for a few months now, love."

"And you haven't come to see me?"

"I have. I even lived at your house…"

"Oh yes, I remember." She said with a smile as she thought back on their outings, and to the drinks they had with Willow. That was also when they had met…

"No, no! You have just come back from England!" She shouted.


	19. Chapter 19

Revenge chapter 19

"Buffy, calm down, calm down!" Spike tried to catch her hands, which were beating at him for a reason he could only guess. She was absolutely furious with him.

"Why, Spike? Why?" She eventually asked with tears in her eyes. A spark of the old Buffy was coming back and he hoped to keep it there for as long as possible.

"Because he wouldn't have let us alone otherwise. Correction… we would be the dead ones by now, not him. I didn't want to do it."

Buffy looked at him with angry eyes, as if she didn't know that herself.

"He killed him, didn't he? Riley? What… How…?"

"You don't need to know, love, it is better for you if you don't. I am just glad that you are back on earth. You have been away for more than a month. Nobody could make a conversation with you, you just stared at the wall."

"I was waiting for you to come back."

"Here I am."

"Oh god Spike, where have you been all this time?"

It seemed like she didn't even realise yet that he could have been charged for murder. A million things went through her mind, that he had been on the run or in hiding and that he now thought it was safe to visit her.

Spike didn't say a thing, but embraced her. Silence fell over the room when neither of them spoke for quite a while. Then Buffy went with her hands over his face, the lines of his jaw, ruffling through his hair.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to remember you." She whispered. "The lines in your face are deeper than before… you have worried too much. But that's over now."

Spike gently shook his head. "I'm afraid not, love. I have not told you the whole truth. They found me out when I was hiding Angel. I'm in prison at the moment… they let me out for a few hours to come and talk to you, so you would get better."

"No, that can't be! You'll not leave me again…" Buffy held on tight on his shoulder and was not about to let go.

"Buffy, I know it is difficult, but there is no other way. You have to be strong for me, alright? I want the old Buffy back again, the one with whom I can argue and have ridiculous fights with. I hope to see her again next time I come and visit."

She sniffed. "I'm not letting you go."

"I think you have no choice, baby. But it will not be for ever… you know I'll always come back to you, no matter what."

"That's what you said that night as well."

"And I have kept my promise, didn't I? Will you try to recover, for me? You have done so much for me when I was shot… let me do the same for you."

Slowly, Buffy nodded. "I'll get better."

"Good, that is everything I needed to hear."

A knock on the door convinced him of the fact his time was up. "I think the doctor will come and visit you shortly. I have to go for now, alright, love? I don't know when I'll see you again… but I will."

He kissed her softly and then left as quickly as possible, not wanting to make it harder on either of them. The policemen shackled him and wanted to lead him to the car, but doctor Anderson stopped them.

"I want a word with your prisoner, if you don't mind… I am the doctor of ms Summers."

It only took a few minutes before the doctor caught the arm of Spike and led him into his office.

"I hope you are not thinking of escaping, because it is quite impossible."

"I never thought of it."

Strange as it might seem, it was the truth. Spike had murdered a human being and did not want to escape his punishment, whichever that might be. He had just wanted that horrible event to be over with, especially for Buffy.

"How is she doing now? Did you visit have the effect we had hoped for?"

"She talked to me."

"Well, I must say that is quite an improvement over the last month. I do not need to know what the conversation was about but… did her mind seem clear to you?"

"Not at first… but she promised me to get better."

"That is not entirely up to her, but it would mean a great deal if she cooperated… I thank you for coming here, I am sure it has helped her."

"Thank you for letting me, doctor. I am sure not every doctor would his patient to be visited by a criminal."

"You are not convicted yet, sir… so you are not guilty to me at the moment."

Spike nodded and opened the door. The trip to the policestation was made in silence, for which he was grateful. He hoped Buffy would keep her promise and work with the psychiatrist, so she would get better. It was the least he could do for her, so she would get her life back on track. If that was to be without him… then he still had no regret of what he had done for her.


	20. Chapter 20

Revenge chapter 20

It took Buffy quite some time to recover fully and she probably never would, the wounds inflicted on her by seeing such tragic events went far too deep. She still felt guilty about what happened to Riley. She hadn't gone to his funeral, simply because she hadn't known or even cared at that time. Now, two months later, she prepared herself to go to his grave to say goodbye.

"Do I have to go with you, Buffy? Just say the word." Willow asked her friend as they sat at the kitched table of the dorm together. Buffy didn't want to enter the house where she spent the last few years… she had been happy there, but the memory of the killing clouded her mind.

"No, I can do this alone… I have to. I just wish Spike was here. He understands me."

"He'll be with you soon enough, honey, wait and see."

"You know, I want to go visit him."

Willow as caught by surprise, it was the first time Buffy had spoken about something like this. Usually she was okay with the fact Spike was in gaol, but in good health and that he loved her. He sent her small notes from time to time, saying nothing at all except that he was doing well and hoped she would recover soon.

"It would be quite a surprise for him if he saw you. Do you think you would go if we found some way to arrange a visit?"

"Maybe." Buffy answered with a slight smile. "I have to do this first… say goodbye, then maybe I can work up the nerve to see him."

"But you saw him before."

"I was drugged and I fought with him… it's not the same. I barely knew it was him."

Now it was time for Willow to smile. "Maybe you didn't see him ,but he saw you in the worst state and he still loved you. This wouldn't change a thing."

Buffy nodded and stood, just another thing she had to think about on her way. Willow hugged her and she barely felt it, she didn't want to attach herself too much to anyone, as every day could be a last one. She walked out the door and took the long road to the cemetery, not through the woods as she normally would have done. She thought about it, going to the prison to visit Spike… would it be a good idea… she didn't know. Willow had told her the tombstone of Riley stood at the far end of the cemetery, but she stumbled across another on her way towards it.

"Angel." She whispered as she glared at the small piece of stone which marked the place where the young man whom she had seen as a lover and an enemy now lay.

"It's tragic, isn't it?"

She startled at the voice, but only saw an elderly man who walked up towards her.

"Did you know him? It was a nice gesture of the parents to bury the boys close together. Well.. one was a criminal, but he had done his time, he didn't deserve that. Why somebody would do something… I hope they punish him good. He's always been bad news."

With that, the man walked away and left Buffy standing there, not knowing what she should have answered and in tears because Spike came out of this as the bad guy… and he didn't deserve that. She walked further and deposited the flowers she had brought onto Rileys grave, touching the tombstone and whispering a prayer.

"I'm going."

The words were spoken softly, but behind them lay a massive decision. Buffy would go and visit Spike in prison, with full support of Willow. Her mother wasn't all too happy with it though.

"Buffy, I know you loved him once and that he helped you, but that does not mean… he's a murderer!"

"He defended himself! You don't know what happened!"

"It was in every paper, I've seen all the damage to our house, I've seen what it did to you. That's enough evidence for me!"

"That was Angels fault, not his. Mum, we've been through this… It was Angel, not Spike, whatever the newspapers said. I was there."

"Buffy…"

"No mum, you can't stop me, not this time."

Discussion closed. Buffy walked up to her room and laid on her bed. She still had nightmares, but they had decreased, she was even able to sleep in her own room, although she still didn't do it willingly. The doorstep was still huge for her to cross, but she did. And now, her next step would be to the prison.

"Isn't your trial coming up soon, man?"

"Yeah mate, won't be long now. A few years maybe." Spike answered with a small grin as he watched his cellmate and leaned on the small cots which were their beds.

"Oh come on, they won't let it drag on like that. You're big news! All of Sunnydale and the surrounding towns were talking about you, you were in all the newspapers… this will be gigantic, I tell ya."

Spike shrugged, it really didn't matter. He knew that he was just going to be sent back to the state prison, to spend about the rest of his entire life. Not a sight he was looking forward to, but all evidence was against him. He was caught red handed, what else did the police want… so they had stopped searching. He had a motive to murder Angel and one to murder Riley… old hatred and jealousy. Why would anyone not find him guilty?


	21. Chapter 21

Revenge Chapter 21

"You have a visitor."

"You're calling the wrong guy, mate… I don't get visitors."

"You have one, Carrington… just come with me."

Spike walked through the halls of the prison, following the guard who had called him. It was probably his lawyer who had forgotten to make an appointment to see him in private, or something of the like. Already dismissing the whole event beforehand, he walked to the room with hands in the pockets of the orange jumpsuit he had been forced to wear. The bleach was out of his hair since long and it had been cut short, so that only a bit of stubble was visible on his head.

The room was divided into two main parts, one for the prisoners and one for visitors. The separation was made buy a wall of solid glass, which was reserved for the convicts who were in for heavy crimes such as robbery and murder. A black phone was attached to one side of the glass, through which one could speak to another.

"Fifth." The guard said shortly as Spike counted the chairs until he was near the fifth and plopped down on it. He didn't look immediately at his visitor but just slumped in his chair as he expected someone familiar to sit there. A soft tapping on the window made him look up and startle at the same time.

"Buffy." He wanted to shout it, but that would have let to more trouble ,since there was a rule where you could not speak above normal voice, as it would disturb the other prisoners and their visitors. Spike gestured for her to pick up the phone and as she did, he really looked at her.

Buffy was still a bit pale from the endured psychological suffering, but all in all she looked nothing like the patient he had visited about a month ago. She had improved greatly and he was glad for that, but still he did not understand why she was with him. He picked up his phone as well.

"Hey Spike." A soft voice came from behind the glass.

"Luv, what are you doing here? I told Willow that I didn't want to see anyone."

"You don't have the right the refuse me this, Spike."

"No?"

This one word was uttered in a threatening manner, but Spike meant nothing of it. The loneliness had weighed on his soul, but he had done what he thought was best for everyone. As he would probably spend more years behind bars, he wanted to make people forget him, so that they would not suffer along with him.

"You don't… I so much wanted to see and hear from you. I just thought Willow was waiting for the right moment to take me with her, but it seems she has not seen you either. How could you cut yourself off like that?"

"I hoped to do the right thing."

"Well, you didn't… how are you?"

The quick change of subject made him pause in his words and think on the question which was being posed.

"I'm good, for the moment. My cellmate is a good guy and it's a modern prison. No torture practice or anything… as good as life can be here. How are you?"

"Much better as you can see."

Spike smiled softly, the first time he had in a long time. His hand automatically touched the glass and he gave a frustrated sigh.

"I wish I could have been there for you."

"You were… you helped me through… and now it is my time to help you."

"What do you mean?"

"Your lawyer asked me to be a witness."

"What!"

A few silence gesture were made by the guard and he nodded, trying to settle down a little as he glared at Buffy on the opposite side of the glass. How could his lawyer do this without even consulting him.

"How can you be a witness?"

"If I speak the entire truth of that evening and night… the jury will let you go free, I'm sure of it."

"No… Buffy, I can't let you go through all of that again. You were so ill after everything and now you want to relive it? No!"

"Yes."

Spike became frustrated with how she talked back to him. That was the old Buffy, the one he so loved and adored, but right now it was not what he needed. He brought the phone back to his mouth, calming down.

"No, and that is my final word."

With that he hung up the phone and signalled the guard that he wanted to go. Buffy looked at him with surprise, not expecting this kind of reaction from the man she loved. She had thought he would jump at the chance for the truth to be out and so he could be set free.

"Stubborn ass… I'm not giving up on you… you didn't either, why should I." She muttered to herself as she picked up her bag and walked back through the many gates which separated her from freedom. She would talk with Spikes lawyer about this and testify, with or without Spikes consent. He didn't need to know about it until the very day of the trial. She would not seek him out again.

Spike walked back to his cell and slammed the wall with his fist as his cellmate looked up at seeing him enter.

"What's wrong, mate?"

"My girlfriend wants to testify for me."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"No, not for her… I don't want her to suffer anymore for my sake. I think… I think I'm going to break up with her."

His cellmate nodded in understanding.

"Just be careful, alright Spike… you're a whole lot worse of alone."


	22. Chapter 22

Revenge chapter 22

"Miss Summers, are you sure you want to do this?" The lawyer, a nice man with the lovely name Smith, asked her.

Buffy nodded again, for about the twentieth time since that morning. They had been practicing some of the question that were possible during her witness report in the stand. The questions of Mr. Smith were quite nice, only one or two mean ones, but he was preparing her for the cross examination of the opposing party, namely the lawyer of the state.

"Mr. Carrington never liked his victim, did he? From the moment he set foot in America something was up between the two of them."

"No, that's not true. It was Angel who started every fight between them from the beginning. He didn't like it that Sp… That William was popular without trying to be. He wasn't on the football team or anything, but people still liked him."

"But they did fight?"

Buffy nodded slowly.

"Nodding is not enough, Ms. Summers, I'm afraid. You'll have to answer some of the details or they'll not be satisfied."

"Yes, they fought several times, but more with words, just threatening each other."

"And then came the assault on Mr. Carrington."

"That was much later."

"Yes, after the two of you were going out together, something that the victim couldn't cope with, was it not? You betrayed him by dating Mr. Carrington while he was certain that you were his steady girlfriend."

"That's not true!" Buffy shouted immediately. "I told Angel a long time before that I wanted to break up with him because of his attitude. He treated me like dirt and I didn't want that anymore…"

"What happened after the assault?"

"William didn't recognise anyone anymore in the beginning. Or he didn't want to recognise anyone rather. He became Spike… a tougher version of himself."

"Ah yes, we have all heard that story." The lawyer began as he explained to the jury the transformation of William into Spike, not only outwardly, but also on the inside. That being established, he turned back to Buffy.

"He was smart that time though, he went to the police with everything."

"From the moment he had evidence he did, yes." Buffy nodded.

Then they let several years of the life of Buffy and Spike fly by, happy years where they were together. Buffy got it difficult then, tears streaming down her cheeks, but she gestured for the lawyer to continue. If she couldn't do this now, then she wouldn't be able to in the courtroom either.

"Angel returned from prison and he visited you one night."

"He broke in in my house!"

"That might be how you call it, Ms. Summers, but it seemed like he had the right to be in that house since you had given him the key."

"That was years ago!"

"Perhaps, but still he had that key and you had never changed the locks. Even in your great feeling of insecurity, you never changed the locks."

"I… Spike was with me. And I never thought about that key again after Angel was locked up in prison. I thought he would have thrown it away, never think of me again. I didn't know I was such an obsession for him."

As she had to give the report of the last night when Angel was alive, she broke down. She couldn't do it anymore, although she wanted to. How she loathed to be so weak when it came to that very night. Willow stood quickly and hugged her tightly as she looked at Mr. Smith.

"I'm sorry, but we can't continue this today. Buffy has had much… to deal with and I don't want her to fall back in her earlier state. I think she did well enough for today."

"Of course, but the trial is not far away and…"

"I'll do it then… witnessing… it'll be fine, I can do it." Buffy said to both Willow and the lawyer. She would testify no matter what.

"You do know that Mr. Carrington will not be too pleased with you."

"No, he won't, I know. I'm used to that kind of thing from him, but he'll thank me in the end."

"I do want to warn you again, Ms. Summers. Your testimony might lower the punishment for Mr. Carrington, but it might not be enough to release him fully. He did know what he was doing at the time of the murder and the knife was stabbed in the back… it wasn't self defence."

"They won't be able to go around my testimony. I swear that the jury will hear everything about that evening!" Buffy said as her eyes almost pinned the lawyer to the wall. He nodded quickly and let both young women out.

"Well, Mr. Carrington, quite a defence you have there." He muttered.


	23. Chapter 23

Revenge chapter 23

The day of the trial was utterly grey, clouds formed in the skies. An ideal morning to start such a gruesome thing as a lawsuit, so it seemed. The building where the court was seated, was not in much better shape. It seemed like the brick building had been planted there for only one reason, to be in the way of traffic. It was low, without much windows and designed to be close to the prison ,so that the prisoners could be taken over on foot and out of sight of all of the curious attendees and the journalists.

Because Spike had given a full confession on his arrival in the police office at his arrest, his lawyer could do nothing else than to plead guilty, but he refused to do so for both murders. In fact, he was planning on pleading not guilty to the murder of Riley because there had been enough evidence to prove that this was entirely Angels doing.

On the first day of the trial, where the opening statements of the lawyers would be noted, Spike came into the courtroom, flanked by guards, and sat down next to his lawyer. The court in session, it didn't take long before the question was asked how the defence would plead.

"Not guilty, your Honour."

The whole room went silent, Spike was absolutely baffled. Never had they discussed about actually trying to get a sentence which would be any less than life.

"What are you talking about?" He whispered urgently towards Smith.

"Relax, Mr. Carrington, I know what I'm doing."

"It doesn't sound like it."

The judge watched the interaction between the two of them and sighed.

"Would you like a few minutes, mr. Smith, or can we proceed?"

"Of course, you Honour."

Spike seemed to have no say in this which made him highly irritated with the man. His aunt and uncle had sought him out and even paid for him. Right after the event came in the news, they had looked him up, scolded him for his stupidity and then offered their help. He had told them part of the story, but they didn't care much about what had been his share in it. He was more their son than of his own mother and they would support him no matter what. Not much had gotten through that day, but at this he cried like a small child. He had accepted their offer because they wouldn't have it any other way. Now he was beginning to regret it.

The day dragged on, nothing too exciting, but the newspapers had the scoop they had been waiting for.

The next morning Joyce fetched the paper from the carpet at the frond door and walked to the kitchen, where Buffy sat with her cup of coffee.

"Honey, I'm worried about this…" Joyce began, but her daughter did not want to listen and just held her hand out for the paper.

"He's pleading not guilty."

She beamed, Mr. Smith was doing everything according to plan. He had done a lot more research than Spike knew, because of Buffys testimony. He had warned her that he couldn't plead him free, but that he could make a considerable effort to make the years in prison as low as possible.

"Do whatever you can, sir." Had been her only answer.

Together, they had been through everything, Buffy wasn't going to let Spike fall for something he had done for the both of them. No, it hadn't been the right choice, but… at that moment none of the normal rules had counted.

"Buffy." Her mother tried again after a while.

"Mum no, not again. Whatever you think about Spike, it isn't true. It's thanks to him I'm still here."

"But you can't handle that pressure, Buffy. Willow had to practically catch you when you did practice it with the lawyer."

"That was different."

"Different? How?"

"Because I kow now that it's real. I can do this, mum, don't be worried, please!"

"The only thing I can do, is support you, I guess."

Buffy got up and hugged her mother.

"I'll be alright. The doctor said that I am capable enough to handle this. If you don't believe me, believe them."

Her mother grumbled something incoherently, but let it be and hugged her daughter back. He young woman had been through so much lately, Joyce wondered. The nervous breakdown was only normal, nobody would be able to cope with such extreme circumstances.

"I don't like you very much at the moment."

"Mr. Carrington… Spike… I have evidence enough in favour of you that you did not kill the first victim. Of Angel, that we both know, but perhaps we can turn that into self defence."

"How? You told me it couldn't."

"I've found new ways."

"How, Mr. Smith?"

Spike was getting agitated. His lawyer was holding something back.


	24. Chapter 24

Revenge Chapter 24

"Buffy, this is your last chance before you can back away."

"No… No, I won't. I am the only one who can get Spike free and I will."

Again she was arguing with both her mother and even with Willow. Although her best friend had been supporting her throughout this, she was not very confident in the stable mental state of Buffy.

"He won't like that you do this… he'll probably hate you."

"I don't care!" She almost shouted, before breathing deeply and trying to calm down. This was more difficult than she had thought. Even this getting ready was more than she actually could take. But she would, for Spike she would.

"Let us go."

The four of them, Buffy and her mother together with Willow and Tara, left for the court room, where Spike already had been seated down by the police officers. He felt something important was at stake, although this normally should be a quite regular day. Just a few testimonies in his favour, character witnesses, nothing more. He looked around for a moment and spotted a few of his old friends which he had known before he left for England. His lawyer had done a good thing in tracking them down, perhaps the man wasn't so bad as he was posing to be.

Buffy slipped into the courtroom and sat at the backrow, waiting for the moment where she would be called to testify in favour of Spike. His lawyer would announce her as his crown witness and they all hoped that Spike would be so stunned that he would say nothing to this.

"We call Buffy Summers to the stand."

It came quite sudden and Buffy stood and walked to the front of the room as in a dream. Spike indeed looked stunned, but it didn't take logn.

"What is she doing here?" He hissed to his lawyer.

"She is our crown witness… she'll be the one to save you."

"I don't want that!"

He said it so loud that Buffy could hear him, and she had to bite on her lip to keep her tears from falling. She knew that she could expect this kind of reaction of him, but still it hurt when it finally became the truth.

"Miss Summers, you were in the house together with Mr. Carrington at the moments of the facts?"

"Yes."

"The evidence that has been shown here has proven for good reason that Mr. Carrington is innocent to the murder of one of the victims, Riley. Would you tell your story of that evening as well, Ms. Summers?"

Buffy nodded and began to tell her story, like the lawyer of Spike had told her. She tried to stick to the facts. After that, the real work began and the lawyer of the opposite party wanted to cross examine her.

"Smith.. please don't do this to her."

"She can handle it."

"Smith, as my lawyer I demand that you don't put up this charade for me. Buffy has gone through enough, I don't want this. I don't care if I go to prison for this, I just want Buffy out of here, safe and sound."

"Too late for that, Mr. Carrington."

They had spoken softly amongst each other, but the cross examination had already begun. Spike wanted to stop it, he feared for what this could do to her.

"So, Ms. Summers… You claim that both you and Spike were tied up at the moment of the disappearance of Angel?"

"He didn't disappear, he just left.

"Right. And how where you able to cut your bonds then?"

"I wasn't tied up, I never said I was. Angel seemed to trust me for some reason, as long as Spike was… as long as he could threaten him. And he knew that I would do anything for Spike."

"What did you do after he left?"

"I untied Spike and… I can't remember much of the rest. Spike brought me upstairs and said that it was better if I rested."

"And then?"

"He went back downstairs."

"To find a plan to kill Angel."

"No! No, he didn't want Angel dead, you have to believe that. We had been rid of him for five years and still he came back. I've had nightmares for years about that man… even Spike didn't speak his name for fear that he would return. Our dreams had come to life at that moment and we just wanted it to end. It was him or us… we had seen what he was capable of, he killed Riley in front of our eyes!"

She was sniffling, tears streaming down her cheeks, but the whole room could clearly understand her words. Her head in her hands, she stayed seated until the lawyer nodded that he didn't have any further questions. When Buffy looked up then, she saw the haunting blue eyes of Spike, who looked at her with sorrow, pity and… something else. At least he wasn't mad at her for doing this.. not for the wrong reasons anyway.

With a low sigh she walked off the witness stand and went towards the back of the room, where Willow, Tara and Joyce waited for her. Then, they walked out as if they had never been there, leaving everything behind.


	25. Chapter 25

Revenge Chapter 25

The trial itself lasted more than a month and slowly but surely turned into a media circus. At first the case had been interesting for journalists because it went about a passionate murder, but soon everyone realised that this went much deeper, the hatred that Angel had felt against Spike and the obvious obsession he held for Buffy was something else. Perhaps something had been wrong in his head from the beginning and had his sending to jail finished this, but of course, he wasn't around to ask or to research.

After Buffy's testimony, she became a well-known media figure, against her own will. Photographers camped outside her house as well as outside the courtroom to catch a glimpse of her, what they would rather have was if she visited Spike, so they could at least get a photo of the two star crossed lovers together. They wouldn't get it however, since Buffy hadn't visited her boyfriend, as he had asked of her. Now, on the last day of the trial, the jury would claim her verdict.

"Mr. Carrington, please… try to be patient."

"They have been in there for hours, how can I be patient?"

"It is good, it means they don't all agree with each other."

His lawyer tried to talk some sense into Spike ,but it was no use. He was pacing around as good and bad as possible with the chains around his ankles and his face was set in a strained state of nervousness. The orange jumpsuit was still quite new as it had been exchanged for this trial, so that the pictures of him would set him off as a criminal of the worst kind. That was Spikes own opinion however and nobody had cared to ask it.

"Are the journalists still out there?"

"You know they are."

"God."

Spike sighed, this had taken so long. He had barely even recovered from the testimony of Buffy, had tried to strangle his own lawyer, but refrained from doing so at the last moment because he still needed him. And Mr. Smith was a lot smarter than he had first seemed to be, because it Buffy's testimony had probably caused some doubt amongst the jury members. Some of the women, whom Mr. Smith had selected in the jury, had felt for the young woman, he could tell.

"Mr. Smith, Carrington."

The door opened and the guards took their place beside Spike, letting him walk into the room again. The judge was seated and both Smith and Spike took their place swiftly, they wanted to get this over and done with. A few cameras flashed and the judge grimaced, cursing himself for not abandoning the cameras on this trial. Of course he couldn't have known what an impact this would have in the beginning.

As the jury entered, everyone held their breath. What would this give? A victory or a pure defeat. The newspapers had speculated about this, giving Spike a few chances that he was going to make it without getting life in the process, but nobody knew for sure.

"Will the defendant please rise."

With a deep sigh Spike stood, together with his lawyer. The judge gestured towards the president of the jury, who would read the verdict aloud.

"Has the jury reached a decision?"

"We have, your Honour."

A police officer took the decision, written on a piece of paper, towards the judge without looking at it. The judge took a glance at it before reading it aloud.

"On the first question, if the defendant William Carrington is guilty of the murder of the victim Riley, the jury has answered: Not Guilty."

A gasp went through the crowd, but many had suspected this as it had been quite clear who had done this. There had been evidence enough that Angel was the murderer of Riley and not Spike, fingerprints and all.

"On the second question, if the defendant William Carrington is guilty of the murder of the victim Angel, the jury answered: Guilty."

Spike lowered his head. This is what he had feared and hoped against hope that it wouldn't happen to him. He would accept his punishment however, he had done wrong and there was nothing else he could do. The judge looked at him and nodded.

"William Carrington, you are found guilty to the murder of Angel, but we grant you a milder sentence because you acted in self defence. This was a clear given thanks to the good work of the justice court. The time you have served now, will be a part of your punishment, together with community service and a conditional punishment of five years. One other misstep and you will be back in prison, young man."

Spike glanced up, had he just heard right? He had been found guilty, had he not? Why wasn't he being dragged to prison right now? What was going on? His lawyer smacked him on the shoulder and congratulated him.

"Mr. Carrington! You are a free man!"

"Free… What? How?"

"Didn't you hear? They blame it on self defence… your punishment is small and you won't have to go to prison."

It was thanks to the testimony of Buffy, that much he knew. His head in his hands, he slumped in the seat which had been his home for the previous few weeks. The crowd had been stunned for a few mere moments, some with hatred in his eyes towards the young man, others overjoyed that he was released.

Spike's uncle and aunt flew into his arms and hugged him like there was no tomorrow. He was looking for someone else however, someone he couldn't find. Where was Buffy in all this? Camera's flashed again, reporters stood there with their small booklets, asking questions on which he didn't even know the answer. He mumbled something to get rid of them, walking through a crowd of people, some moving out of the way for him. Only in the backroom of the courthouse, it was quiet.

"Dress yourself, honey… you can go home now." His aunt said softly.

"Where is Buffy?" He asked, the first and only thing he asked.

"She didn't want to come, honey, she was too scared for you."


	26. Chapter 26

AN: And so, this is the end. I thank you for all of your reviews, they have been most helpful. I will be taking a break from the Buffy fanfic, because at the moment I don't have any more new ideas. There will be others fics, and even soon… but Buffy will be spooking through my head until a new story finds its way. Again, thank you!

Revenge chapter 26

Buffy shivered, laying under the blankets of her cozy bed, not wanting to hear or see anything from the outside world. She didn't read newspapers or watch television, afraid of what could have happened to Spike. A soft knock came on the door then and she raised her head, trying to figure out who this could be. Joyce wouldn't knock, nor would Willow or Tara… although perhaps Tara…

"Come in."

A blonde head poked in, along with a few brownish streaks, where the blonde had grown out. The hair curled softly and the rest of the face followed suit, sculpted cheekbones, dark blue eyes… No!

"Spike!" She screamed as she barely could see through her tears. She jumped off the bed and ran straight into his arms, which made him bump into the doorframe with a quiet 'oof', but he didn't mind at all.

"You're here." She murmured.

"Here to stay, luv." He said in response with a smile. He noticed how tight she was holding him, how much strength there could be in such a lithe body.

"But? But the trial?"

"I'll tell you later… but everything is in order… I'm a free man."

"I'm sorry for…"

Spike quickly laid a finger on her lips and shook his head. There would be no more apologies about this, of neither of them. She had rescued him after he had let her escape from her mental cell… they had saved each other time and time again.

"A new beginning… entirely. No regrets."

Spike whispered softly and Buffy nodded. Finally, after so many days, weeks even… they found each other in a soft kiss, which would last for an eternity, or so both hoped.

In the next morning, the newspapers who had wanted to get rid of Spike so badly, had taken a completely different turn. The title of the biggest article in the Sunnydale Times read:

"A victory for love. The tale of Spike and Buffy."


End file.
